Synthesis
In the beginning of the new millennium CEDEX continued playing an important role under its condition of specialised technological centre in advanced techniques for the study, experimentation and research of civil engineering matters applied to public works, as well as natural resources and the associated environment.
Inauguration by HRH the Prince of Asturias of the Exhibition 150 Years of the Ministry of Fomento
The organic dependence of the Ministry of Fomento, through the State Department of Infrastructures, together with the double functional dependence of this Department and the Ministry of Environment, formed the framework where most of the activities of the Organisation took place, specified in detail in the account of actions given below, corresponding to each of the Centres and Laboratories that integrate the technical and specialised organisation of CEDEX, being the receiving directive centres of the services the following:
Ministry of Fomento:
State Department of Infrastructures: Directorate General of Roads, Directorate General of Railways, Puertos del Estado, Railway Infrastructure Management and Spanish Airports and Air Navigation.
Undersecretaryship: General Technical Secretariat, Directorate General of the Merchant Navy and Directorate General of Organisation, Procedure and Control.
Ministry of Environment:
State Department of Water and Coasts: Directorate General of Hydraulic Works and Water Quality and Directorate General of Coasts.
General Secretariat of Environment: General of Environmental Quality and Evaluation.
All this activity, complemented with that carried out for other Departments and Organisations of the State General Administration, the rest of the Public Administrations and private companies and entities, besides the participation in numerous R+D+I projects, both in the national and international sphere, the last ones especially referred to the European Community, conform the whole of the technical and scientific activities of CEDEX during 2001. A synthesis of the working line supporting the layout of the whole activity is given below:
- Measurement and analysis of waves and long waves in ports.
- Ship manoeuvrability by simulator and models of accelerated time.
- Experimentation on three dimensional and two dimensional physical model.
- Environmental quality of ports and their environment.
- Instrumentation of maritime works in prototype.
- Studies on littoral dynamics and beach regeneration.
Subscription of the Agreement with the International Water Resources Association for the assumption by CEDEX of the Secretariat of the said Association, in the presence of the Secretary of State of Water and Coasts of the Ministry of Environment
- Hydrological planning.
- Evaluation of the gross hydroelectric power using Geographic Information Systems.
- Analysis and definition of defence actions against floods.
- Vulnerability of aquifers.
- New technologies for the regeneration of purified waste waters.
- Surveillance and biological-radiological control of waters.
- Full scale study of pavements in the Test Track.
- Inspection, analysis and follow-up of pavements.
- Techniques for pavement recycling.
- Behaviour of port pavements.
- Auscultation of the pavement sliding resistance.
- Study and analysis of road equipment.
- Project of energy kinetic storage devices.
- Design of superconductor magnets.
- Ecological characterisation of the riparian vegetation.
- Acoustic contamination in airports and roads.
- Mathematical modelling of pollutant transport in soils.
- Auscultation of viaducts and fabric bridges.
- Pathology and structural behaviour of buildings.
- Fatigue tests of deviation elements for high velocity railway lines.
- Fatigue and impact tests by seismic simulator.
- Use of refuse materials in the construction of buildings and public works.
- Certification of prepared concretes, metallic materials and construction products.
- Geotechnical behaviour of road works.
- Soil reinforcement and slope stabilisation.
- Study of dredge slopes in ports.
- Auscultation of loose material dams.
- Behaviour of urban solid residues.
- Waterproofing and sealing of waste dumps.
- Analysis of the behaviour and reinforcement of foundations
Among the whole of the different actions undertaken in this year, the following should be pointed out:
Inauguration of the Exhibition Railway Territory in the International Trade Fair of Asturias (Gijón)
The start, by the Area of Physical and Electronic Techniques of the Centro de Estudios de Técnicas Aplicadas, of the works to create the Laboratory for Railway Interoperability, with the support of the State Department of Infrastructures of the Ministry of Fomento through its Directorate General of Railways, aimed to the testing of elements and sub-systems of the European railway signalling system for high velocity lines. This will be a laboratory of reference for Europe and will play a fundamental role in the fitting out of the Madrid-Barcelona-French frontier railway line.
The preparation by the CEHOPU of the exhibition '150 Years of the Ministry of Fomento', inaugurated by His Royal Highness the Prince of Asturias on occasion of the commemorative acts of this ephemerides.
The continuous and outstanding activity of the Centro de Estudios Hidrográficos in the technical analysis of the allegations of the National Water Resources Plan, its participation in the presentation and public discussion, informative appearance on the Bill in the Commission of Environment of the Spanish Parliament and, finally, its works in relation with the layout of the water transfer Ebro - C.I. of Catalonia - Júcar - Segura - South, anticipated in the said Plan.
In other order of activities, different to those reflected in the sectorial summaries that conform this document, but equally important for the Organisation, the following should be also mentioned:
- The first year of the integration in CEDEX of the old laboratory of the Directorate General of Housing, Architecture and Urbanism was reached, under its new name of Laboratory of Housing, dependant of the Laboratorio Central de Estructuras y Materiales, having developed a high quality intense work basically centred in the field of tests for the certification of construction products.
- Also, the year 2001 implied the end in the use of the peseta and, consequently, the culmination of every process of adaptation to the euro required for the management of the Organisation, a task that demanded a substantial effort by the staff dedicated to this work in the central services of CEDEX.